Do you listen to podcasts? A few years ago I had heard people talk about podcasts, but had never listened to one, partly because I couldn’t work out the technology and it all seemed really complicated. Once I had worked out there is a Podcast app on my iPhone and its actually really easy to search for the podcast and listen straightaway, I was hooked. (If you have never listened to a podcast because you don’t know how, have a look at my Beginners Guide to How to Listen to a Podcast, here ) I listen to them when I am working, if I am making dinner and the children are playing, when I am waiting for a class to finish or just doing something where I can listen at the same time – I feel like a multitasking queen! If I am stuck with something in my business, need to learn something quite fast but don’t have time to read about it whilst working, or just want to get some inspiration I listen to business podcasts. But podcasts aren’t just about business advice. I have heard some really inspirational speakers on podcasts, and also laughed along with parenting woes and funny travel tales. I also play podcasts to my children too, the little ones like to listen whilst they play or in the car, especially story podcasts.

Over the last year I must have listened to hours and hours of podcasts – walking a marathon hike certainly helped with listening time! I recommend my favourite podcast weekly in my Facebook group for creative business owners ( intrigued? You can join us by clicking here, and see what we are listening to this week) , and I am often asked ‘ Do you know a podcast about this?’. So I have decided to share my favourite podcasts to listen to in each category but first I am starting with the top podcasts I have listened to over the last year. These are the ones I recommend all the time, or ones that really stood out to me that I still remember. And I absolutely love that they are all by Women – female podcasters are out in force and creating some really content. Here’s my 6 favourites from the last year.

Tea and Tattle – Tea and Tattle is a weekly podcast, featuring interviews with inspiring women and thoughtful conversations about books, wellbeing, creativity and culture. I found this podcast when I felt completely unable to listen to another business podcast but wanted something to listen to, that was inspiring and interesting. I am trying to read more and a podcast about books seemed a good place to start. This was the first episode I listened to, with Bonita Norris, the youngest woman to climb Everest. I immediatelybought the book, and its one of the most inspiring books I have ever read, telling the fascinating story of what it is really like to climb Everest but also its about overcoming fear and achieving your dreams. I have played this podcast to my older sons in the hope they are motivated to chase their dreams. https://www.teaandtattlepodcast.com/home/58

Elise Gets Crafty – the podcast from Elise Joy. This is my all time favourite podcast, I have listened to every episode and there is so much value to be found in the past series. Elise reminds me to get stuff done – and that I can choose to be productive if I want to be. Well worth a listen, and worth delving back into the archives as well, there are hours worth of great content in this podcast. https://www.elisejoy.com/podcast/

The Food Medic – This podcast is hosted by Hazel Wallace, a doctor who is also a personal trainer, blogger and author. I follow Hazel on Instagram and love her inspiring , evidence based posts so I was really excited about this podcast. The episode that really stands out for me is episode two, it really reminded me how important exercise is and I have recommended it to lots of people struggling with low mood and anxiety. Its a must – listen episode, and really encouraged me to build more daily exercise into our family life. https://thefoodmedic.co.uk/the-podcast/series-1/

Happy Mum, Happy Baby – This isn’t a podcast I would normally have listened to, but on a very long walk when I just wanted something light to listen to, I downloaded some episodes of Giovanni Fletcher’s award winning podcast and was quickly converted – its like getting together with good friends and putting the parenting world to rights. Not all the episodes appealed to me, but this one with Emma Freud was fascinating, and has stayed with me. Touching on home schooling, traveling abroad with children and the thing that stuck with me most was how Emma talked about parenting teens. This is so often not discussed and it really spoke to me as the parent of a just-teenage boy. There’s also lots of lovely film gossip too for Richard Curtis fans. https://www.giovannafletcher.com/podcasts/series-two/emma-freud

She Moves Mountains, by Bonita Norris – this is a new podcast that just launched and I am already loving it. I read Bonita’s book last summer and it was one of the most inspiring stories I have ever read, and so I was so excited to discover she has a podcast talking to other women who have achieved amazing things. The production isn’t as slick as some of the other podcasts on the list but the content is some of the most interesting and inspiring audio I have heard for years. It is motivating, and so great to hear women celebrating their achievements – and often women who have started as complete beginners but with the right mindset and a lot of hardwork have transformed their lives and achieved amazing things. http://www.bonita-norris.com/podcast/

What She Said – this lovely podcast from Lucy Lucraft was new to me, and I discovered it about a year ago. Its so easy to listen to but full of interesting conversations from intelligent, normal women who are making their way in the creative, freelancing, entrepreneurial world ( there are a few men thrown in there too). Lucy herself is a really lovely person and has a great story, with interesting views on being vegan, living a zero waste lifestyle, and is gut wrenchingly honest about her work, blogging and the struggles that go with it. Get to know her a bit more in this episode but definitely check out the previous podcasts too. https://lucylucraft.com/what-she-said-podcast-17/

I am always looking out for new podcasts, and my intention for the next year is to try out some different genres, and not just stick to business and lifestyle. What is the best podcast you have listened to lately? I would love to know so I can listen along too!

Podcasts are one of the best kept secrets on the internet – a huge audio resource on just about every topic you can think of, with something for everyone. I listen to a podcast or two most days, but I often hear people say they don’t know how to listen to them and I can understand that – that was me for ages! Finally I decided that I was going to work it out and it took me about three minutes, and since then its been a game changer. So if that’s you, read on, and all will become clear!

What is a podcast?

A podcast is an audio show, that you can download and listen to, either on a computer, or via an app on your phone. Each show will tend to have a theme, or a particular style, and will explore that theme over a number of episodes. Sometimes a show will have a few series you can listen to, delving back into the archives to binge listen. They are almost all free, and you can listen to as many or as few as you want, as often as you like, at a time to suit you.

Photo by Mohamed MAZOUZ on Unsplash

How do I listen to a podcast?

There are a few different ways you can listen to a podcast, and all of them are really easy – once you know how.

1. On a computer

An easy way for you to listen to a podcast is to play it directly through the podcasts website. If you know the podcast already, just go to the website and they will most likely have a ‘listen now’ option, and as long as you have a speaker or headphones on your computer you can listen. But, this isn’t necessarily the best way – it means you are limited to being near your computer, and have to remember to go back to the website to check for new episodes.

2. On your phone using an app

This the easiest way to listen to podcasts on the move, and to keep up with new episodes so you don’t miss any. You just need an app on your phone, and then you can download episodes at home and listen to them wherever you are. There are a few different options depending on which phone you have.

On an Apple iPhone listening to podcasts is really easy – your phone comes with the Podcast app already installed, you just need to find it, click the icon and, boom, there’s your doorway into the podcast world opened for you.

If you have an android phone, the easiest way to access a podcast is to downloadthe Google Podcast app from the Google Play store. Just search for ‘ Podcast’ in the play store or use this link .

Once you’ve installed the app, use the search box to find the Podcasts you want, by searching for the podcast title. Sometimes you need to be quite specific and use the correct title. Once you have found it, just click the podcast name to go to that shows page. You will see some information about the podcast and also all the available episodes. Just tap one to play it! Easy, wasn’t it?

Once you have found a podcast that you like, the best thing to do is to subscribe to it, you’ll find the subscribe button on the podcasts main page. If you tap Subscribe, each new episode of the Podcast will automatically be downloaded to your phone when it’s published. That means you never have to remember to go and look for new episodes, they are just there, ready for you to listen to when you want them. In iTunes if you haven’t listened in for a while, it will pause the automatic downloading but you can just start it back up again with a click, no drama.

Once you have got the hang of listening to podcasts you might want to explore some other apps which offer more functions. A really good free app to consider is Pocket Cast which is easy to use, simple and offers lots of features, and its improving all the time. You can also use Spotify to listen to Podcasts as well, if you are a spotify user but they don’t always offer the full range. I use the Apple Podcast app and it does everything I need it to so I have never used these options

Photo by Fimpli on Unsplash

What equipment do I need to listen to podcasts?

The most simple way to listen to a podcast is just with a computer and speaker, or on a phone. However, if you are listening on the go, you may want to use a few things to make your listening easier and more enjoyable.

Because my kids love podcasts as much as I do, we often listen in the car when we are on the way to an activity – there are so many great educational podcast so this ticked quite a few home ed boxes, but we also listen to stories too, especially on long car journeys. My car doesn’t have a Bluetooth connection on the radio ( that’s the easiest way to listen, just connect your phone via bluetooth to the car radio) so I just use an Aux-in cable like this one.

I also listen to podcast when I am walking or running, so I bought these bone conductor headphones, so I can still hear whats going on around me but also listen to podcasts at the same time – I have listened to hours of podcasts whilst pounding the pavements in my town – you can also use them at the gym too as they are wireless so no cables to get tangled up in machines. And, I also use them a lot at home, as it means I can listen to podcasts whilst I am cooking or busy in the house and no one else has to hear them – perfect if you want to listen to something but don’t want little ears listening too, or if like me you have child who is overly sensitive to audio stimulation. With these headphones I can still hear what else is happening in the house too ( its magic, I have no idea how it works but it does!) .

Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash

How do I find podcasts to listen to?

Once you have the podcast app, if you know what podcast you want, you can simply search on the show title and find your podcasts that way. But, if you want to discover new podcasts, you will need to go looking for them. Start by asking friends what they are listening to ( and if they say they don’t know how to listen to podcasts, send them here!) . You can also use the charts to see what is popular right now. iTtunes podcast charts change regularly, and they also a New and Noteworthy section you can browse. You will also find lots of blog posts with ‘ Best Podcasts for…’ like this one, where several are recommended – I usually find one or two on a list like this that I like. Pinterest is also a great place to look for podcast ideas – you can even follow my Pinterest board for ideas and to see what I am listening to as well. Finally, google is your friend here.

The thing I love about podcasts is that there are podcast on so many different topics, last year I listened to podcasts on how to run a business, good places to travel to, health, fitness, architecture, science topics for kids, politics, parenting, adventuring, self development, gardening, books, people just chatting about their lives and interviews with some amazing people I would never have otherwise discovered. And here are so many new podcasts starting all the time too.

One last thing…

Almost all podcasts are produced for free – you wont find many adds and generally the ones you do are well chosen and subtle. Podcasters spend hours creating this free content for us to enjoy, so if you find one you like, click the subscribe button and go onto iTunes and leave a review – it makes a huge difference to that podcaster and only takes you a minute or two. Its a great way to say thanks for all the hard work they have gone to in producing the show.

OK hopefully that has inspired you to start listening to podcast – let me know which method you choose and if you find a great podcast please let me know in the comments below!

We absolutely love books in this house. Every time I declutter my hand hovers over the bookshelf, crammed with books and I just cant bring myself to get rid of any. But I know that too many of anything makes it hard to appreciate the things you love, and so I am strict about where the books live and how many we have out at once. We always have a basket downstairs with easy to grab books for quick stories or looking at as inspiration for drawings or conversation prompts. Its always full of books for that season, and it tends to be the first thing I change at the first sign of a new leaf bud or a warm summer breeze, or more recently the cold, crisp mornings. It really helps cement to me that we are moving through the year and it has made me look forward to certain stories more, knowing we have to wait a year to read them again.

I know I am always looking for new books and good resources, so though I would share our book basket with you all. I look out for seasonal books all year round and tuck them away so we have a mix of old and new-to-us books each year. I also make sure there is a balance of stories, field guides and non-fiction books, and often a new book basket will spark a conversation or project. I love getting books from charity shops or book sales, and that means we have a nice mix of vintage, old and new stories so not all of my books are still easily available to buy but it will give you a flavour of what we have so you can go and be inspired to put together your own seasonal collection.

We have a few favourite series that we use throughout the year. These are :

Bramley Hedge. The most adorable stories about little mice who live in the hedgerow and go on adventures each season – the illustrations are wonderful and the stories are gentle and full of lovely messages about the countryside and animals. I often see these second hand so keep an eye for them!

Gerda Muller has a wonderful series of seasonal board books. I had these when the boys were little and we looked at the pictures, they are a bit old for them now but I still love including them and they are great as visual prompts and inspirations for crafts and drawings. I also like the rhythm of having them in each box year after year, I don’t think I’ll ever take them out.

Flower Fairies are a child hood classic aren’t they? We have each seasonal book, and I just love them. My boys don’t reach for them, if I am honest , but I will pick them up and read them a page or two if we have found a new flower or plant and that sparks their interest in the illustration. Its lovely to have poems too.

I have a few of these lovely old Ladybird books so try to chose a few different ones, whatever suits the season or time. I also add in field guides, bird spotting books or other guides. For autumn the ones we use the most are the handy river cottage guides, which are full of information, and also recipes too. We especially love this Mushroom guide, and use it a lot at this time of year. The other book we read every year is Why Do Leaves Change Colour by Betsy Maestro , its a really great book to explain the science behind why the leaves change colour and great for some curriculum linked learning.

We also have a collection of lovely stories and picture books, and our favourites include

There are lots of other great posts about Autumn books for ideas and inspiration, some of my favourites are Some the Wiser, Allison has lots of great book resources although some are American and hard to find in the UK. This list of autumn and fall books is full of great ideas and has a printable list for the library. Good Reads is a great resource for book lists, and they have a great list of Autumn picture books here . Rhythms of Play also has a lovely list of picture books for fall.

We are always looking for new books, and especially chapter books so please let me know your favourite autumn books, or if you share some of our favourites let me know which ones!

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Recently, I challenged myself and walked 24 miles along the South West Coastal Path, on a particularly tricky stretch from Corfe Castle to Weymouth. I walked the route as part of the Cancer Research UK Race for Life Hike, which took place in June in the middle of a heatwave. The hike was hard, the terrain is unforgiving and the heat was brutal. But I managed it! I finished up with very sore feet and quite dehydrated, but I also learnt a huge amount about walking long distances, and since I wrote about my experience on the hike, lots of people have asked me for tips to walking longer distances, so I wanted to pass on some of my top tips and tricks to others. Here are 5 things I learnt from walking a long distance route along one of the toughest stretches of the coastal path.

1. Walking Poles are amazing.

I had never used poles before and thought they were something older walkers used to make themselves look like they were proper walkers, but a few people suggested they might help prevent my already sore knee from hurting more so when Craghoppers offered to send me some, I took the opportunity. They were amazing! I had these, adventure poles, with a camera attachment too. They are super lightweight so not cumbersome or tricky and fold down really small for when you aren’t using them. Most bags have little hooks to attach them to as well. The ones I used had different feet for soft or hard ground and adjusted for different heights, so when the path was very narrow and hard to walk on I could adjust one pole shorter than the other and use them to balance. But they really really come into their own on downhills. They helped me feel secure and gave me something to balance on. And I had no knee pain at all which I put down to the poles for sure.

2. Keep hydrated, anyway you can.

It sounds obvious but it’s easy to underestimate. I took my own Clean Kanteen and filled it up as often as I could, and on this route there are plenty of stops to refill, like cafes and pubs. I have this 1 litre bottle which is usually enough, but in full summer heat, I would also have hugely benefited from some electrolytes as well as I was sweating so much. Salty snacks also help with replacing lost salts. I didn’t practice with gels or electrolytes so I didn’t use them on the day as you do need to make sure your body can tolerate the ones you choose so add them in to your training plan if you think its something you may need. Since the walk I have been using Tailwind to fuel longer runs in the summer heat and have found it great, replacing vital salts and minerals. I bought this pack here .

3. Let someone know where you are using apps.

As with any activity like this, it’s important to keep safe and tell someone where you are going and when you plan to be back. I used ‘Find my IPhone ‘ so my family can see where I am by logging into my Apple account. I also share my location on Google Maps and for longer walks have downloaded the free OS Maps app which gives you the exact coordinates of where you are, easily. Now, I’m not going to pretend I can accurately give my coordinates anyway but even if I could, having this free app do it for me if I ever need them seems really sensible. Download the app here.

4. Wear the right socks, but not for too long.

Socks are vital for walking. The wrong ones can leave you hobbling around in pain for weeks and it’s really easy to choose the right socks. Natural fibres are great, and wool or silk socks are really great. But the most important thing is to change your socks regularly, so that they stay dry and comfy. I change mine around every 5 hours and by far my favourite are these Craghoppers socks which have shaping in to make them fit perfectly, and hug your feet in just the right places. They also keep your feet super cool and like all Craghoppers clothes come with a lifetime guarantee. I had blisters on the arches of my feet and the cushioning in these socks really helped protect that area.

5. Pack light.

You will be carrying everything you need, so make sure you pack carefully as that extra weight can really begin to take its toll as the miles add up. I always carry a super light weight rain jacket which is also really warm, and only weighs a few grams ( I have this one, again from Craghoppers because I love them, they fold down into a tiny bag, weigh less than 350g and I love the lifetime guarantee) . Check your route and see if there are shops or cafes where you can fill up on snacks and food so you don’t end up carrying too much. Consider putting suncream/vasaline/toiletries in to a small jar or tin as you will only need enough for one day, and take only a small, essential first aid kit. Whilst you definitely don’t want to comprise on safety, think about what you really need. Checking weather forecasts and talking to other experienced hikers can really help you gauge what is necessary for your route.

You can read more about my experience of hiking the Jurassic Coast here.

** Please note this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and purchase something I receive a small commission for that sale, however the price remains exactly the same for you. I was kindly gifted some Craghoppers poles and socks for my walk but all opinions are my own and I only work with brands I genuinely love and always give my honest opinion.**

I have lived near the south west coastal path for most of my life. As a child, I spent many Sunday being dragged along the local stretch and hearing tales of my parents friends walking it with a tent on their backs and a sense of adventure I, at the time, put down to a mid-life crisis. As an adult, I am making sure my children have the same, character building experience and have walked the stretch closest to our house in short, sharp bursts over the last few years. A climb to the top of Golden Cap one Mothers Day weekend, a ramble over the clifftop to a nearby beach on a sunny summers day. Never more than 4 miles and always at toddler speed and with a pocket full of sweets as bribes. So I am not really sure what made me decide to sign up for a hike to walk 23 miles of the hardest stretch of the coastal path, in midsummer, at a time in my life when my fitness levels can, at best, be described as … in need of improvement. But, when the advert popped up in my Facebook feed to sign up for a Race for Life Hike, with the new years intentions of spending 2018 doing things for myself, including getting fitter this year still ringing in my ears, I clicked the button and within minutes, there it was, a deal made with myself that I would complete this challenge in 2018.

Fast forward a few months, and I glanced at the training plan that was sent with my pack. An hours walk twice a week and a long walk at weekends, roughly. That’s OK, manageable I thought.. in fact, on a beach in Sri Lanka, I had already promised myself I would commit to 8 weeks of running 5k three times a week when I got home. That took me nearly up to the date of The Hike – so just perfect!. So if I stuck to my running promise, I would be out 3 times a week, getting fitter, and running is even better than walking right? I decided that it would have to be, as I didn’t have time to do both and so I laced up my trainers three times a week and slowly got a bit better at running. Actually, I didn’t. I stayed hopelessly at the back of the group for 7, slow painful weeks and then in the 8th week suddenly felt like I was doing better. I was keeping up. Not fast, not pretty, but I had improved for sure. A few of the lovely ladies I was running with told me walking is different to running, and the fear started to creep in, I upped my running mileage a little but my knee started to hurt, and then I got up early one Sunday morning and set off on a walk, walking the coast path in a westerly direction, taking in 10 miles of scenery, sweeping views and tough hill climbs. It was the longest I have walked without children, and it felt great! My feet felt fine but the climbs were hard, and my knee was grumbling, especially coming downhill. A friend suggested I try poles to help with walking, so I added that to my list of things to buy, next to new socks and magnesium supplements, and told myself it would all be fine. Spurred on by feeling like my running had improved a bit, I signed up for my first park run, 5k along the seafront on a Saturday morning. I finished well at the back of the pack, as I expected, but I knew I was much quicker than when I had tried a 5K a year before. A few lovely ladies at the running club rationalised and told me how now I knew I could easily do that , I only had to do it 7 times and that was my walk. Run 3 miles, walk a bit, and repeat they said.. it sound easy enough. Sort of.

I hadn’t really thought about the date of the hike – midsummer, long balmy evenings and daylight that goes on past bedtime. But also, this year, a heatwave. Previously distracted by the sudden arrival of chicken pox in my youngest, the night before the nerves hit and I realised I hadn’t really told anyone except a few people I run with, that I was doing the hike, as I didn’t really know if I would finish it. I knew I wanted to, but I doubted my fitness, knew my long training walks had been somewhat absent, and mostly I was affected by the fact that almost anyone I did mention it to seemed stunned into silence that I was considering it. A close friend told me she didn’t think I’d manage it, which dented my confidence. My family, not used to me doubting myself, and even less used to me doing anything for myself, said it was just important that I tried, and it didn’t matter if I didn’t finish, which all sounds like the right things to say but I just needed one person to tell me I could do it. I couldn’t find that person, so I decided to tell myself I had no choice, and just as dawn broke, I slipped quietly out the house and off I went. Its an early start, and the coach taking us from the finish line to the start was a quiet mixture of nerves, and shock at being up so early . Mothers and daughters, friends and work colleagues, new walkers, experienced walkers, women from all over the country got off the coaches and a sea of pink flowed from the coast and up the hill past Corfe Castle just peeping out of the mist. Surrounded by so many women I had a moment that, as the mother of four boys, I would never be able to do this with a daughter, and then quickly realised this wasn’t the time for emotional introspection, and focused instead on just how young everyone seemed, how much Lycra there was and how smug I felt that I had walking poles with me like a proper walker.

I had made sure that I started early, on the second coach, giving me a chance to not be at the back from the start. We had been warned the first section was the easiest, mostly flat along the ridge way, over looking Poole Harbour to the right and distance glimpses of Portland to the left. We past by hidden castles, stopped for the view and waved at passing cows. The Marshals were jolly and wide awake and the walking was easy. This is ok, I thought. Watching the snakes of women walking ahead and behind me was humbling – all these people doing the challenge together. Beautiful day, beautiful views, life is good. The first check point at 5 miles seemed to arrive easily and without incident, all good I thought. A quick refuel and plenty of water, and , because I am a Proper Walker and know what I am doing, a fresh pair of socks. I put on one blister plaster, as prevention is better than cure and my little toe was beginning to look sore, a top up of sun cream as it was getting hot, and tried to wash my face off as it seemed salty, and off I went, conscious not to be the last to leave and that I couldn’t afford too much time to rest. It was another 5 miles to the lunch stop, which was midway between Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door – the hardest stretch of the walk.

As the coast path climbs up over the military ranges, the views we had been promised started to appear. Long sweeping beaches, small coves with clear, green waters. Almost enough to keep me distracted from what I could see ahead – an almost vertical cliff climb that looked like something out of Heidi. But there were no goats cambering up the hillside, just a steady stream of walkers slowly snaking up the cliff in the distance. And as well as going up the cliff path, I had to come down the other side – thanking my Craghoppers walking poles every step of the way. The path was loose gravel, slippery and uneven, and the poles were the only way I could inch myself down the slope step by step without sliding down on my backside ( although I did think about just rolling down at one point). This section of climb and descent, climb and descent on uneven, difficult ground in full midday sun really started to take its toll. As I landed on the pebbles of lulworth cove and picked my way across the beach between boats and kayaks and picnicking families enjoying a lazy day on the beach, my initial satisfaction at reaching the half way point in under 4 hours quickly dissolved as I saw the tail walker close behind me – I might have been well ahead of the time I had expected to be walking it in, but I was right at the back of the group , and only half way. Almost instantly that I realised this, my pace slowed. My legs dragged themselves up the gravel paths away from Lulworth and on towards lunch and even though physically I was hot I felt OK – mentally, I felt demoralised and I could feel my enthusiasm drain away. My son had called me several times to say he was struggling without me at home, he wanted me to come home, and I looked at all the families out enjoying the beach and wondered what on earth I was doing.

Another down hill stretch ( don’t be fooled, these are just as hard as the uphills!) and the second stop point came into view – with lots of people still eating lunch and sitting in the sun relaxing. Hooray, I thought, a quick refuel and I’ll be off ,and I wont be at the back anymore. It was too hot to eat much, and I knew if I hung around too long it would be harder to get started again, so a second change of socks into some new super comfy Craghoppers hiking socks, my feet were grateful and I was ready to leave. I popped into the porta loo and realised my face was covered in a white powder – salt from where I was sweating so much in the heat. I washed it off and drank some more water, and didn’t think much else of it. Then as I went to leave, I realised everyone at the lunch stop was waiting for a lift, to take them to the last stop before the finish as they didn’t feel they could manage the distance but wanted to be able to walk in over the line. I was stunned that this was even an option, and also devastated that this meant I was at the back once again. Off I went, feeling pretty lonely and very worn out. But I knew that if I was going to get to the finish line, it was under my own foot power. Pulling out didn’t feel like an option – the previous ten miles would count for nothing if I didn’t walk the whole thing. The miles dragged slowly by. Another few climbs and I was beginning to doubt my feet. The tail walkers were right behind me, I hadn’t seen a marshal for what felt like miles and I told myself its because they’d gone home, as the walk had been going on so long. I know that after the first few big climbs there was more uneven walking, because I remember altering my poles so one was slightly longer than the other to help me balance on the narrow tracks. But I cant remember much more about the path between miles 10 to 14. I didn’t even take any photos after the first big climbs. It was head down, one foot in front of the other for 4 long miles until finally the sign for the next stop point came into view. Slight relief at getting a break was instantly wiped away as I realised the crew were packing up the gazebos ready to leave. Had it taken me so long to get there that the walk was over?

At this point I realise that I should have a photo of me sat on the step of the First Aid ambulance looking exhausted but I could hardly summon energy to open the bottle of water let alone much else. My brain wouldn’t work to let me speak, my hips felt so stiff I knew if I sat down I wouldn’t get back up again. The last four miles had felt like ten all over again, and taken almost as long, and all I could think of was the poor marshals and tail walkers, who would have to wait around for hours for me to finish. The support team asked me how I was doing and I conveyed that I felt it was taking me too long and I was slowing them down. We have all day they said, we are happy to walk at your speed and no one is in a rush, you can do this! I didn’t have the capacity to reply – I couldn’t get the words through the lump in my throat. I rifled through my bag to find some sweets to put in my pocket, and saw the Ibuprofen I had chucked in at the last minute. I swallowed two, the irony of having birthed four babies without pain relief and not having taken paracetamol in over twenty years did not pass me by – but at this point I was willing to try anything. I got up, wondering how long I would be able to go on for, and fully expecting to be leaving the course in the back of a land rover, the only uncertainty being when, not if. One foot in front of the other, I started the last, long section to the finish line thinking I would just go as far as I could.

The last section passed along the cliffs and beaches that had been just a few miles from our first house, the house three of my boys were born in, and each part of the path felt more and more familiar. It was also much easier walking, open gravel paths and wide flat grass routes made the walk easier but the biggest thing was the sun had dropped, the temperature was a more reasonable in the low 20’s and some parts of the path were shaded, with trees and small rivers to cross bringing some relief. The noise of podcasts and music had begun to annoy me so I walked on in silence, stopping only for a quick drink every now and again. I was sure by this point I was hours behind every one else, but just kept on, trying to keep up a good pace, and moving forward. After a steep climb up a staircase, I noticed a marshal waiting by a wall. I was so surprised to see him, I thought they’d all gone home hours ago. I could hardly speak, but passed on a heartfelt thank you to him for waiting for me, and he replied ‘no, thank you for you’ . I choked back a lump in my throat and kept on up the road until another marshal was waiting, directing me down a leafy path, where he waved away my thanks with a cheery ‘ see you at the finish line’. As his words sunk in, I realised it was only 5 miles to go, and the sobs came fast and heavy. I walked that mile of shaded path with tears flowing down my face, sobbing and wiping my face and thinking there was no way I could carry on, and that I was going to finish this after all, in equal parts. And suddenly as quick as the tears came they went, my legs felt light and as Weymouth came into view, the paths opened up to fields and I passed the ‘3 miles to go ‘ marker and remembered my friends from the running club saying ‘ you can run three miles’ . And I will I thought, I will. I will.

Ok, so I didn’t run, but I did jog a bit, and walked a bit and jogged a bit until suddenly the last marshal waved me on by, and I jogged along Weymouth sea front remembering how I had last run along the wide esplanade 8 years ago, chasing an escapee toddler , whilst heavily pregnant and pushing a baby in a pushchair. I rounded the corner into the nature reserve, the last stretch of the course, and there in front of me were ladies walking. I couldn’t believe it. I had been only just behind them for miles, no idea they were just around the corner all along the cliff top. I wondered how different those last few miles would have been if I had known that. We crossed the finish line, there was very little clapping or cheering as most people had headed off, but by that point that was all I wanted to do too. A painful walk to the car park and an hour later I was home, ready to inspect the damage to my poor feet and wondering whether it was worth the effort of the stairs to sleep in my own bed.

The next few days were all about moving slowly. The worst injury was to my neck and shoulders – sunburn had caught every tiny patch of skin that I had missed with cream and it was so painful. With huge blisters on the bottom of my feet and each toe I spent a lot of the next week sitting down, walking very slowly and feeling much like those slow postpartum weeks with a new born, except I had nothing to distract me and the restlessness was almost as hard as the walk itself. I also had children to entertain and I didn’t want them to miss out because I had chosen to inflict this pain on myself. I wasn’t in a good head space. I didn’t feel that proud of my achievement, I was cross I had let myself get sunburnt and realised I had been significantly dehydrated. I also didn’t feel like coming almost last was that great, and the ‘it’s the taking part that counts’ wasn’t cutting it. I spent a lot of the week reading Bryony Gordon’s new book ‘ Eat, Drink, Run ‘ and suddenly I begun to realise the enormity of what it takes to run a marathon, and maybe also to walk almost a marathon. The emotions, the tears, the mental battles. I drank lots of water and rehydrated.I soaked my feet and the sunburn faded. I let myself off a bit, and begun to think that maybe it was quite an achievement after all. I definitely should have done more training, I was naive thinking water was enough to stay hydrated, and I should have believed in myself and told more people what I was doing. But, I did do it, when so many people just say they will. I learnt so much about myself, and about the power of surrounding yourself with others who believe in you. The marshals, the tail walkers on the day, the ladies at my running group, and eventually, myself. I showed my children, and myself, that you can make time for the things you want to do, and even when its really hard, and you feel like you haven’t done enough, its worth trying it anyway and giving it your everything and you can keep going. I can’t say there will be a next time for me and the Jurassic Coast hike, but I will absolutely hold onto the lessons I learnt , and I will be choosing a new, different challenge next year, and I really hope you will too. This wasn’t easy, but it was about far more than those 24 long, hot, painful miles along the Jurassic Coast, and for that, it was worth it.

** Please note this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and purchase something I receive a small commission for that sale, however the price remains exactly the same for you. I was kindly gifted some Craghoppers goodies for my walk but all opinions are my own and I only work with brands I genuinely love and always give my honest opinion.**

I love sewing for my boys, almost as much as they love wearing things I have made them. I have a few patterns that I love, that are my go-to patterns but I am always on the look out for new patterns to try. I am no stranger to making shorts for my boys, I usually make a few pairs each year from cotton or cord fabrics but this year they’ve been wearing shorts since April and needed a few more pairs, so I wanted to make them some different ones, from Jersey knit fabric. My favourite summer shorts to wear myself is the capri version of the Halla Lounge Pants, so I was really pleased to see a kids version of this pattern.

Halla patterns are instant download PDF patterns, so once you’ve purchased them you just print and then stick the pieces together. You can see all the patterns on their website here, and my favourite thing about them is that it is so easy to line up the patterns which means you can get down to the sewing so much quicker. One of the things I liked most about the Halla Lounge Pants pattern was that it has loads of options – I really like the board shorts, and I know the long version will be great for some winter cosy trousers. My son decided he wanted capri length shorts with a jersey cuff, so that’s what we went for. I also love that the pattern is in sizes 0-12 so I can use it for almost all my boys, and there are enough pattern options they will all look like they are wearing totally different trousers. All my boys have really lovely shorts from Boden that are slightly heavier weight and I wanted something similar to that for these, so when 42 Custom Fabric gifted me a meter of their new fabric I chose a French Terry option – slightly thicker than Jersey and with a looped back. It just gives the shorts a bit more weight and hopefully they’ll wear them right through to autumn too.

I usually just add a jersey waistband but this time I had a request for pockets… previously I have avoided them as I had convinced myself they would be tricky or take too long but decided to go for it this time. The pattern has great instructions with photos to go through each step, and it only added a couple of minutes. It was actually much easier than I thought, the only slight faff was that I had to set up the sewing machine to do the top stitching but it was absolutely worth it and really only took a minute or two longer.

I cut size 8 for my 8 year old, he is a pretty standard size and wears age 8 clothes. They were a perfect fit for him, in the waist and the length of the Capri, even though I used french terry weight fabric for the main part of the shorts. I used jersey cotton knit for the waistband, cuffs and pocket edges and it worked perfectly together. I also love that with this bright fabric the solid colour of the cuffs really look great. One thing to mention was the stripes – I am a bit of a neat freak when it comes to stripes and I need them to match – I took care when cutting to make sure I cut the pieces out really straight ( I am usually quite slapdash) and I used lots of clips to hold the pieces together as I sewed them – I was pretty pleased with the results! I use these clips, and they are one of my favourite sewing purchases ever ( click here to see) .

Of course, just as I finished these a little face appeared asking for new leggings – Halla have a free leggings pattern that I haven’t tried yet, so I decided this was a good reason. If you join the Halla Facebook group you can get a code to use on the website, its a great way to try the Halla patterns and get a feel for them – I think they are really easy to use with really easy cut marks for the patterns and really in depth instructions with great photos The leggings are written for jersey so I made sure to be careful when cutting and not skimp on the fabric, I cut a size 5 for my 5 year old as I wanted them tight fitting anyway. The waistband looked a bit small so I measured and found I needed to cut a slightly bigger waistband, and others have said the waistband runs skinny on these leggings so keep that in mind. They also come out quite long, so if you have a slightly shorter child you may want to cut an inch or two off. I like the extra growing room though! These were a really quick make – around 15 minutes once I had cut the fabric, and they would have been quicker if I had chosen a plain fabric where I didn’t need to worry about matching the stripes. The thicker weight fabric means they are perfect for wearing under waterproofs to keep warm without too much bulk in the winter too, but for now they make a great cosy option for cool evenings or pulling on after playing at the beach. I am going to make a few more pairs to keep in my bag as spares and I think they would make a great quick gift too. I mean, who doesn’t love funky, custom made leggings?

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I find I have to look a bit harder for interesting fabric for my boys so I was really pleased with this 42 Custom Fabric. I am also always looking for new and interesting patterns for boys too so if you know any, please share!

I was gifted a metre of the fabric to try, in exchange for photos of the finished item, but all thoughts on the fabric are my honest opinions. I am a regular customer of 42 Fabric designs because the quality is superior to anything else I have tried and I love their limited ranges.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means I may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to make a purchase. Read my full Affiliate Disclosure Statement for more information.